Brundibár and the Girls of Room 28

The story of these girls is connected with the performances of the children’s opera Brundibár in Theresienstadt. One of the girls, Ela Stein (now Weissberger, USA) played the cat, Maria Mühlstein often played the sparrow and some of the girls sang in the choir. Since the story of Room 28 provides an authentic historical backdrop for these early Brundibár performances, the exhibition is an ideal supporting programme for performances of Brundibár. Some of the survivors can still be invited to share their experiences of Brundibár in Theresienstadt.

Exhibition for Rent

If you are interested in the exhibition ‘The Girls of Room 28’, do contact us. You can either rent the exhibition or acquire a licensed version for long-term use here.

Private schools in England

can turn to Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Boys in London for acquiring the exhibition for a limited period. Haberdashers’ School has acquired an English version which can tour in private schools in the UK.

Schools and other Institutions and Organisations

interested in setting up exhibitions and meetings with the survivors are invited to contact Room 28 Projects to explore what is possible.

Readings from the book ‘The Girls of Room 28’

© All Rights reserved, including ‘Helga’s Diary’.

In Germany, Helga Pollak and the author are often invited for readings. These are powerful presentations. Helga reads from her diary while the author accompanies the story using audio material – original voices, music and other elements. Interested persons in English-speaking countries have the opportunity to acquire the right to read from the book and to arrange the story for stage. We can advise you and offer variously edited manuscripts to work with. Since the story of these girls encompasses such an amazing array of motives, themes and stories (like the authentic story of Brundibár and the children of Theresienstadt) you might want to create something new according to your own ideas and vision or find out about the theatre-play ‘Ghetto-Tears 1944’. The Girls of Room 28’. In all cases, please do contact us.

Forum 28 – the creation of a Foundation. You can help!

The photo shows a reconstruction of ‘Room 28’, as created on behalf of the German Federal Parliament and added to the exhibition, which was shown in January 2008 as part of Germany’s official commemorations for the victims of National Socialism. Since this model is sized at 6.2m x 3.25m x 2.5m we are currently looking for a temporary or permanent place to store it. Ideally we would like to establish a home for the exhibition so that it may help to impart, on a lasting basis, the legacy of the Girls of Room 28 to young people. We would also arrange, where possible, encounters with these survivors of the Holocaust. If you are interested to help realize this project, please contact us.

Encounters with the ‘Girls of Room 28’

Though the ‘Girls of Room 28’ are aged 80+, some of them are still prepared to travel and talk with young people. In March 2011 Anna Hanusová from Brno, Czech Republic, will visit schools in England (Forest School, Hasmonean High School, Immanuel School) accompanied by our English partner, the historian and historical guide Gabriel Fawcett. If you are interested, please contact Gabriel.

NEW: A historical journey:

following the lives of the Girls of Room 28 in Prague, Theresienstadt and beyond

For over ten years the Oxford University-trained historian Gabriel Fawcett has been leading education journeys for pupils, college students, and adults from England and the USA. Gripped by the enormous educational value of the 'Girls of Room 28', he has translated the exhibition into English, assisted the author in the preparation of illustrated booklets for use in schools, and designed a unique itinerary to the places where the Girls' stories unfold: primarily Prague and Theresienstadt, but also to Vienna, the Auschwitz memorial, and Berlin.

Since it is becoming ever more challenging for survivors to meet with young people, these Room 28 journeys will aim wherever possible to include an encounter with one of the 'Girls', who still so generously give of their time.

If you would like to know more about accompanying Gabriel on such a trip, please contact us. (Please note: Our journeys require the participation of a group, and we don't currently have scheduled journeys for individuals available.)

Booklet on Demand

There are illustrated booklets available for use in school prepared in English by Gabriel Fawcett. They are an ideal supplement to the exhibition, but can be used independently to explore the story of these girls and learn about the Holocaust and about the elementary role of art, culture and civic values in their struggle to reassure their human nature and dignity. You can order the booklets here.